Mass Effect The End
by bradleyflan
Summary: Shepherd faces his own fears as he fights to escape from the stricken reaper ship, can he save his lover and make it back through the relay in time to warn the galactic community.
1. Chapter 1

**_Chapter one;_**

They had done it they had rescued the crew and destroyed the abomination that the reapers had created in the dark underbelly of the ship, but it wasn't over yet they still had to reconcile with the stricken Normandy's and pass back through the Omega four relay. This is only the beginning shepherd thought as he and his two squad mates fled through the cavernous corridors of the reaper ship desperately seeking a way out.

The Normandy had taken quite a beating on passing through the relay, he only hoped it was stable enough to carry them all home one last. EDI's familiar tones crackled over his headset; 'Commander' the reapers appear to be trying to subdue your escape, I have detected a possible exit 100m north of present location, I am working to override the lock they have put in place'.

'Thanks EDI' he managed as he dodged a falling piece of debris. 'Shepherd ahead' he heard from somewhere behind him, he squinted and could see a horde of husks clambering from the depths beneath the already precarious walk ways. The reaper structure was collapsing in around them as the larvae creature ripped through its supports falling into the central core, causing the entire structure to destabilise and collapse.

Miranda unleashed a powerful biotic field knocking back a number of husks clearing just enough to allow them to pass relatively unscathed. Grunt preceded to melee any reaming with the butt of his shot gun sending them hurling back over the edge of the walk ways. It saddened him to think that these abominations were once people ripped from their lives and subjected to such horrors at the hands of this galactic scurge, but he couldn't let his emotions get the better of him, he had come he for one purpose, to get his crew back alive and by god he was going to do that no matter what it took.

They rounded another corner appearing no closer to an exit strategy, he ducked behind cover just as a beam streaked past him tearing through a rear wall , sending shards of debris crahing in around them. He peered out and to his horror saw a praetorion ' get to cover NOW!' he screamed helplessly to his crew'. Already fraught with trying to avoid ailing sections of the ship now they faced a new threat. 'Miranda, Grunt ill draw his fire get out of here, the Normandy should be just beyond that door.'

'Shepherd I'm not leaving you here!'

'That's not a request now get out of here!'

Come on shouted Grunt as he charged towards the door, reluctantly followed by Miranda. They ducked behind what little cover they could find as she activated her omnitool to pry the door open, trying desperately to override the lock mechanims. Shepherd drew a deep breath and bailed from his position firing a beam at the praetorian, significantly damaging its shields but not enough to deter it from unleashing another vicious attack, it barely missed him as he rolled to cover, 'Ha you bastard you aren't taking me today, he shouted as he weaved between cover firing shots whenever he could while avoiding its devastating particle beam attack.

The bay doors hissed open a fraction allowing Miranda to slip through, tears filled hers eyes as she peered back at the commander. Grunt was able to force a larger gap, 'come on the commander' ll be fine he'll meet us back at the Normandy, he urged when saw her pain gaze. Reluctantly she followed as yet another beam attack tore through the already fragile ship, sending more debris crashing to the ground . They ran through the narrow corridor, seeing the Normandy hovering precariously on the horizon, airlock doors invitingly open. Mordin and Garrus stood in the door way urging their comrades on. Where is the commander? shouted Garrus as they drew closer

'He's still inside he drew its fire away so we could escape, he saved us' she declared, tears visibly forming in her eyes.

'To hell with that!' shouted the proud Turian as he leapt from the Normandy onto the reaper, 'leave no man behind!'

Garrus don't be a fool, he could hear Mordin in the background, but ignored him as he tore towards the Commander, followed by Miranda. She wasn't prepared to leave him behind, not this time. They took cover behind the wedged doorway and glanced inside, they could see a visible injured shepherd slumped against, the rear wall, precariously hidden behind some rubble that made for make shift cover. They could see also the praetorian scanning the room, detecting signs of life, ready to take him out, not today, Shepherd is not making his last stand here in this place.

Carefully they picked their way into the room, trying not to alert the praetorian to their presence. Garrus motioned to his left, indicating his plan to flank the machine, as he drew his trusted sniper rifle, Miranda nodded in acknowledgement, barely able to take her eyes off of Shepherd. The praetorian continued to scan the room, slowly making its way round, it was nearly upon the broken, laboured form of Shepherd when it was hit with an unseen biotic field, causing it momentarily to lose its barings and sending it into a panicked spin. Seeking to exploit this, Garrus unleashed a tirade of carefully aimed shots taking out its key drive core. Shepherd drifting in and out of consciousness was unable to focus on the scene of carnage before him. 'Hell yeah' Shouted Garrus as the machine crashed to the floor, its menacing lights blinking out for the final time. He and Miranda raced to Shepherds still form, can you hear me, Shepherd you need to wake up we are getting out of here'. This was met with a muffled response before he slipped deeper into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2;**_

Shepherd roused in a somewhat familiar setting, his eyes struggling to adjust to the gloom. As he tried to move he was met by sharp unbearable pains throughout his body, he gasped as he hastily lay back trying to make sense of the situation. His mind was hazy, he couldn't quite piece together the past events, had he really made it out of that reaper ship or was this all just some crazy nightmare. He heard footsteps and braced himself unsure of his surroundings, after waking in that Cerberus facility some months earlier he wasn't prepared to take any chances. 'Commander your awake,' exclaimed a familiar voice.

'Dr Chakwas is that you', he questioned carefully trying to adjust his eyes in the semi darkness of the room, 'Commander try to stay still you took quite a beating back there, it's a miracle your still with us'. She moved closer pressing buttons that caused a series of monitors to flicker to life basking his body in an eerie green glow. She cautiously observed the reading and noted them down on her omnitool before turning to face him with a wry smile she said 'I'm so glad you made it, I don't know what we would have done without you?'

He groaned as he enquired, what's going on, did everyone make it out, where are we?

Commander slow down, you took a severe blow to the head amongst other quite life threatening injuries, Garrus and Miranda managed to haul you off the reaper and back to the Normandy just in time. You were in pretty bad shape but I have done my best to patch you back up. It'll be a few weeks mind before you are charging back into battle'. There it was the thing that pulled him back to the reality of the situation, 'Miranda', in that moment nothing else mattered, had she made it out alive? He struggled to a seated position fighting every nerve in his body, 'Did she make it out?' He stammered as he tried to remain composed.

'Who?'

'Miranda' he almost shouted, 'Where is she, did she make it?', his voice visible quavered as he pleaded with her to tell him, he needed to know nothing else mattered.

'She's alive commander in fact she has kept a bed side visual since we got you back to the Normandy, she has not left your side in days, poor girl is exhausted. I had Jacob carry her to her room for some much needed rest, she refused to allow me to tend her wounds all she wanted was for you to come back to her, willing it with every fibre in her body for you to make it through.'

Relieved shepherd relaxed back on the med bay cot, he drew a deep breath before he asked 'and what about the rest of the crew did everyone make it out alive?' he felt a slight pang of guilt when he realised that the very survival of his crew had come somewhat secondary to his own needs and desires.

Her face visible pained Dr Chakwas turned away from him, tears forming in her eyes at the painful memory of what had come before. 'We lost two before we had made it back to the Normandy, attacked by husks, they were every were, panic broke out amongst the survivors, everyone scattered unsure and frightened. We were soon over run, Mordin tried his best but there were too many for him to take on and the rest of us were in no condition to fight them off. Many were badly injured and had to be aided back to the Normandy, everyone has worked tirelessly to heal the wounded, but I fear it will not be enough to heal those terrible scars they will bear for the rest of their lives, how are you supposed to move on from this Shepherd, how do you live with such atrocity, its unbearable'. She choked out before momentarily pausing to took note, she wouldn't allow herself to be that emotional, that weak in front of the Commander, she needed him to be strong for the sake of those on board, for the galaxy. She sighed heavily before recounting the events of the past few days.

'We lost another as we passed through the reaper field, the Normandy came under heavy fire as we attempted to make it back to the Omega four relay. The rear of the ship was breached by a devastating attack unleashed by the reaper as it fell. Make shift repairs were made and airlocks were sealed, we could all but hope that they would hold as we passed through the relay, the reaper in close pursuit. When we drew close enough to the relay, Garrus activated the bomb you had managed to plant in its core. We barely escaped as the flames tore through the reaper, almost engulfing the Normandy. I feared we would not make after all you had been through to rescue us but thanks to Jeff and EDI we made it out largely alive with only a few minor casualties as we, nothing worse than a few broken bones', those men and women have you to thank for bringing them back safely to their families shepherd.'

'Commander ill allow you to rest,' he barely heard her as she made the way from the med bay, laying back in the thickening silence trying to take it all in, desperately wanting to make sense of it all, he remembered the illusive man appearing over video comm. Telling him, no pleading with him to not destroy the Reaper. How could retaining such an abomination possible prove a benefit to mankind, it needed to be destroyed at any costs, he would not allow others to witness the horror he had faced. He realised in that moment that the illusive man had sought to manipulate him into his bidding, this was not some galactic crusade to rid the galaxy of this terrifying scourge, it was more personal, more sinister than he could of ever imagined.

Cerberus was no different, except they were perhaps less pro human that Shepherd had previously believed, now he was unsure what they stood for beyond the illusive mans own disillusioned gains. He realised they had been betrayed, sent blindly into someone else's fight, used as pawns in his game. But for what purpose, what did the illusive man stand to gain from this and why did he go to so much effort to obtain shepherd to revive him at such a cost. He dwelled on this thought unable in that moment to comprehend the scale of the situation. He urged his body to move to stand up, he had work to do, he had to warn the council, something was coming and they needed to prepare, they had ignored his foretelling in the past he prayed that this time they would heed his warning, however his mind weary from excursion desperately ushered him into a deep dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter three;**_

Shepherd awoke to the familiar sight of Miranda staring down at him, a worried look upon her face. Momentarily he feared he was back at the Cerberus facility, these dark memories still haunted him from time to time, but his N7 training had drilled him into suppressing unnecessary emotion that may otherwise compromise the mission. Miranda he stammered weakly as he struggled into a seated position, ignoring the pains that coursed through his body, it was worth it just to see her again. She smiled weakly seemingly lost for words. After a moment of silence she whispered 'I thought I'd lost you'. He hushed he with a lingering kiss before pulling her into an silent embrace, tears welled in her eyes and rolled down her soft, rosy cheeks, falling upon his bare shoulders as she held him tight.

'Miranda, why are you crying I 'm not going anywhere for a while yet'…. He trailed of as she pulled away from him.

'Shepherd you know this is only the beginning, the Illusive man… well he's not just going to let us walk away…'

Shepherd was more than are what they faced, he knew the Reaper threat was now more prominent than ever, his display in the Omega 4 relay, while a minor personal victory had perhaps merely hastened their imminent arrival. As for the Illusive man, he still couldn't understand how he had been so gullible as to be taken in by his talk of a better world, of destroying the Reapers once and for all, ending the cycle… he realised now all too late that he had played them all along, using them to advance his own personal agenda.

'Miranda we will get through this, come on we just passed through the omega four relay and lived to tell the tale, yes this might only be the beginning but we have each other and that's what matters'.


End file.
